Cheney Says US Should Restart Enhanced Interrogation Programs

McCain’s opposition to Haspel was not able to sway one of his closest allies in the Senate: Republican Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, announced his support as did Sen.

Vice President Mike Pence, as president of the Senate, can be called on to break a tie vote.

In other excerpts, Haspel pledges to work closely with the Senate oversight committee.

The hearing was dominated by questions about Haspel’s role at the Central Intelligence Agency in the use of harsh interrogation methods during former President George W. Bush’s administration, as well as the destruction of videotapes documenting the tactics.

Gina Haspel’s response comes in response to a question from Democratic Sen. Haspel got criticized for not condemning the practices as immoral even though she affirmed that she would not implement them even if ordered to do so by the president.

“I think you will find me to be a typical middle-class American”, Haspel told senators.

“She has served in some really tough places, high-risk hardship posts, and has performed some extraordinary operations”, said former CIA official Henry “Hank” Crumpton, who was Haspel’s boss in the agency’s National Resources Division. Gina Haspel: “Senator, I think I’ve answered the question”. His view represents that of most of his fellow republicans.

Haspel faced intense grilling from the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday, as the 33-year CIA veteran was subjected to aggressive questioning from Democrats about the interrogation techniques.

Kyle Midura: Why is she the right person for the job in your opinion?

‘CIA has learned some tough lessons, ‘ Haspel said, explaining that in retrospect the agency was not prepared to conduct the detention and interrogation program employed after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al Qaeda militants. In a statement explaining why he would vote against Haspel, he said, “Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying”.

She also confirmed that she would not restart the program even if asked.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney said on Wednesday if he were in a position to decide, he would have enhanced interrogation programs “active” and “ready to go”.

“Senators were visibly frustrated at Haspel’s unwillingness to say definitively whether she believed it was wrong at the time to waterboard terrorist suspects”.

Haspel is giving her opening remarks at a hearing before the Senate intelligence committee.

She will probably still be confirmed. The C.I.A. knew that Congress had an interest in the tapes, as did courts hearing cases involving torture.

MARTIN: Which is a problem with someone who has spent most of her career undercover.

During a heated exchange with California Democrat Sen.

Reflective of the depths we have fallen morally as a nation is the very presence of Guantanamo and other “black sites” where torture is carried out in our name. What he would have to say about Haspel mattered.

However, because Feinstein is facing a more challenging election cycle than usual, I anticipate she will also be a no vote. Why? How could she? If it was not immoral, it would probably still be legal.

The protesters began yelling, “stop the torture, stop the torture” and “don’t reward torture”.

Protesters disrupted the hearing shouting, “Prosecute the torturers!” and “Bloody Gina!”